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SUMMARY

This chapter presents performance data associated with the various fabricare
cleaning alternatives. The information and data focus primarily on the
factors that affect the ability of a process to clean garments effectively.

Section 6.1 summarizes relevant performance assessment criteria for comparing
alternative clothes cleaning processes. Section 6.2 includes a study-by-study
presentation of garment and fabricare performance data associated with
drycleaning and wetcleaning cleaning technologies. The performance data
summarized include the results from clothes cleaning demonstrations and
laboratory studies performed in the United States and Canada.

The studies range in scope and complexity, but are generally limited
to comparisons of the drycleaning (perchloroethylene [PCE] and hydrocarbon
[HC] solvent based) and machine wetcleaning cleaning options. Although
improved HC solvents with lower flash points are included in one study
in progress, the results were not available at the time of publication.
Because the information collected in these studies varies widely, performance
results are presented in the format chosen by the study author(s). No
further analysis of study data was performed independently to verify results
or conclusions. In addition, individual studies may contain specific limitations
that are not necessarily identified in this chapter. Due to the wide variability
in potential operating conditions, the performance studies summarized
in this chapter represent case studies rather than generalizable scenarios.